Revive your career with a simple ’80s dress-for-success formula

The popularity of dressing down for the office is sinking about as rapidly as the average 401(k). And the casual Friday concept? Gone the way of CEO bonuses.

It is time to revive a dress-for-success formula popularized in the 1980s, says Marie Johnson, style consultant for Stein Mart stores in Central Florida. Mathematicians won’t approve, but it goes like this: 2+2+5=30.

Johnson explains: “By mixing and matching two suits, two pairs of pants and five tops, you can create 30 different looks.”

Not so fast, say the purists — including Martha Goshaw, a math professor at Seminole Community College and Lili Metcalf’s fifth-grade math class at Dommerich Elementary School in Maitland, Fla.

If you count each suit as a single unit, they point out, the garments can be combined to create 20 outfits thus: 2 x 2 x 5 = 20. Or, if you count each suit as two units (jacket and skirt), you can create 40 outfits thus: 2 x 4 x 5 = 40.

All the pieces — jackets, skirts, pants, tops — can be combined to make at least 30 different outfits. Obviously “fashion math” is more creative than accurate. But the basic principle applies: Mix it up.

By teaming your suit jackets with nonmatching pants, or your suit skirts with a nonmatching jacket, sweater set or blouse, you can stretch your wardrobe every which way to Sunday.

Can’t afford to buy a complete business wardrobe all at once? Not a problem, say Orlando, Fla.-area style and image consultants.

Here are their tips for gradually acquiring the pieces you need or building on items already in your closet: